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What Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said leading up to Mizzou

Kyle McAreavyby: Kyle McAreavy10/09/25Kyle_mcareavy
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer (David Leong / Imagn Images)

Mizzou fans know what Tiger coach Eliah Drinkwitz said leading up to the Tigers’ matchup with Alabama. But here is a look at what Alabama coach Kalen Deboer said going into the matchup.

In his opening statement

DeBoer: “We got a very good football team coming off a bye week. We gotta play an 11 o’clock kickoff and on the road. So, just gotta be ready to get ready to roll.”

“Missouri poses a lot of problems for you just with what they do physically. Running the football, I mean, they’re dominant. Against the run, they’re dominant. Time of possession. Put a lot of points on the board and hold teams down with the limited possessions you’re probably gonna get. So, Coach Drinkwitz has done a great job building that program up, been super consistent here with the wins. But also just consistent each and every week with what you’re gonna get. And we’re gonna be looking forward to a great challenge on Saturday.”

When asked about guarding against a ‘trap game’

DeBoer: “I mean, they’re 5-0, they’re a ranked team. So, I think the whole thing isn’t like — there’s not a surprise that we’re facing this team that’s going to be at a high level on the road. And so it’s taking all of our experiences that we’ve been through and applying it, knowing that going on the road is hard in the SEC, knowing that any game in the SEC is hard, and then taking our lessons learned or experiences, what I like to refer to them, and just understanding how we’ve become successful and how we’ve had improvement here. It just goes back to shutting up and doing the work, showing up and doing the work.”

*In the SEC teleconference*

When asked by Drinkwitz about his hoodie

Drinkwitz: “Hey Kalen, are you going to wear the black hoodie of death on the sideline this game with us wearing black jerseys?”

DeBoer: “Oh, Coach Drink. I gotta fit in somehow. Yeah, I’m more than likely, we’ll see what the forecast is. I kind of know, but yeah, I’m expecting that. It’s kind of got its own, life of its own right now.”

Drinkwitz: “That’s the only question I needed to find out today.”

When asked about Missouri’s run game

DeBoer: “They clearly have an identity, I think they’re very diverse still though, with their ability to throw the ball. They just haven’t had to as much and that’s a credit to what they’ve done through the run game. They definitely, they’re committed to it. They have the players, the players certainly believe in what they’re doing from a schematic standpoint. They haven’t been pushed as hard to have to open things up from the pass game standpoint, because I’m impressed with what they can do there, quarterback and receivers there, too. Just a well-rounded offense, a well-rounded team.”


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